Electric switch.



. W. M. SCOTT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1909.

Patentd July 26, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig. 4.

If; ATTDRIIEI.

W. M. SCOTT.

ELECTRIC. SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 0019, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I WITNESSES.-

a. 6. ,JW

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIQE.

WILLIAM M. SCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTTER. ELECTRICAL AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEXV JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM M. Sco'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Electric Switch, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical switches suitable for making and breaking or'controlling an electric circuit carrying currents of great volume and of considerable potential, and my invention relates more particularly to the relation to the main and shunt contacts of an electric switch or circuit breaker.

-My invention resides in an electrical switch or circuit breaker comprising main and shunt members, the main and shunt members being pivotally mounted independently of each other, though they may be concentrically pivoted, the main and shunt members being mounted for movement independent of each other so that the circuit is first made at the shunt contacts and finally broken at the shunt contacts, the shunt memher and the switch operating member being so constructed and arranged that upon closure of the switch or breaker a movable shunt contact is caused to slide or wipe upon its cooperating shunt contact. To this end I provide independently pivoted arms or levers for carrying the movable main and shunt contacts. the movable shunt contact carrying member being lifted or moved upon its pivot at the end of the circuit closing movement of the parts by the engagement of a lug on the switch operating member against a lug on themovable shunt member.

My invention resides inthe features hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of one of the forms my in\-ention niay take reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an automatic circuit breaker involving my invention, parts being broken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. i is a side elevational view of a part of Fig. 1. with the switch member in open or circuit: breaking position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the armor lever which carries the main movable contact member. Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the arm or lever carrying the movable shunt contact.

In the drawing, 1 represents a base ot any suitable insulating material, such as marble,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9,

-21 to limit its pivotal movement.

Patented July 26, 191th 1909. Serial No. 521,895.

upon which is secured by stud 3 and nut 3 the main contact block or terminal 1. Below terminal a is secured the other main terminal or contact Secured upon and in electrical communication with the upper terminal block s is the metallic bracket 6 upon which is secured the stationary shunt carbon piece 7. Between the bracket 6 and the contact block 4 is secured the intermediate stationary metallic shunt contact 8.

Adapted to engage and bridge the main terminals and 5, and thereby close the circuit, is the laminated bridging member 9, constituting a main movable contact.- The contact member 9 is secured to, but preterably insulated from the pivoted arm or lever 10 supported upon the pivot 11 supported in the housing or bracket 12, shown broken away for the sake of clearness. Sup ported with or carried by the main movable contact 9 is the intermediate metallic shunt contact 13 secured upon the conducting springs 11 which, in turn, are secured upon the member 15, the latter serving also as a shunt circuit connector. The intermediate shunt contact 13 is adapted to cooperate with the intermediatestationary shunt contact 8.

F or actuating the movable contact member 9 to cramp the same into engagement with the terminals blocks 4 and 5, there is provided a toggle comprising the links 16 and 17, the former pivoted at 18 to the arm 10 and at 19 to the link 17, the link 17 being pivoted in the housing or bracket 12 at 20 and extending outwardly beyond the housing to form an operating lever 21 provided with the hand grip 22. 111 the position shown in Fig. 1, the center of pivot 19 fails a little short of a straight line drawn through the centers of pivots 18 and 20. Carried by the lever 21 is a roller 23 with which is adapted to engage the latch 24. pivoted 'to the housing 12 at A pin 26 carried by the housing 12 is disposed between the extensions 27 and 28 of the latch Pivoted concentrically with the latch 24 on the pivot is the latch actuating member 29 carrying the adjustable screw 30 which engages upon the top of the latch 21 to actuate it. The latch actuator 29 has a rearwardly extending tait 31 extending into the path of travel of the armature 32, pivoted at 33, and adapted to be attracted by the pole pieces 3 1 of an electromagnet whose core is 34 and whose energizing coil or winding is the conducting bar 35 having one end in communication with the main terminal 5 forming the active contact face thereof; the other end being in electrical communication with the block 36 secured by stud 2 and nut 3. A handle 37 is secured to the armature 32 for manually tripping the breaker, and the adjuster 38 is provided for de termining the position of the armature32 with respect to the pole pieces 34, so that the breaker may be set to open at different current loads.

At 39, upon the link 17, is secured one endpf a spiral spring 40 whose other end is secured at 41 upon the arm or lever 10.

The arm or lever 42 carries the movable shunt carbon piece 43, the latter secured to the intervening member 43. The lever 42 is pivoted on the pivot 11, concentrically with the arm 10, at its lower end, and has its pivot hole 44 elongated to allow of a motion of translation.

The shunt carbon 43 is supported on the arm 42, electrical connection being made. from the carbon 43 by the flexible connector 45 with the member 15 which also supports the movable'intermediate shunt contact 13, the conductor 15 being extended by a flexible conductor 46 below and around the pivot 11 and connects permanently to the lower main terminal At 47, on the lever 42, is secured one end ,of the spiral spring 48 whose other end is in Fig. 2, the switch or secured at 49 to the arm 10 or the means for holding the contact 9 upon the arm 10.

The lever 42 is provided also with the lug 50 with which is adapted to engage the lug 51 upon the toggle link 17.

The operation is as follows: \Vith the parts in the open circuit position as shown breaker may be closed by an operator depressing the operating lever 21 to move the same in a clockwise direction about the pivot 20. This movement extends the toggle 16, 17 thus causing the rotation of the lever 10 in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 11 carrying the laminated contact member 9 closer and closer to the main terminals 4 and 5. Due to the tension of the spring 48 the lever 42 and attached shunt carbon 43 are held to the lever 10 and rotated therewith. The carbon 43 first engages the carbon 7, and as the movement of the operators lever 21 is continued the main contact 2 engages the main terminals 4 and 5 and is finally cramped against them by the extensi on of the toggle 16, 17 whereupon the parts are in such position that the latch 24 engages roller 23 to lock the parts in circuit closing position as shown in Fig. 1. After the carbon 43 has engaged the carbon 7 and the lever 10 proceeds in its movement, the lever and, if desired,

position the 42 does not rotate further, spring 48 yielding to the further movement of the lever 10,

and the spring is put under greater tension. And after the carbon 43 has engaged carbon 7 near the end of the circuit closing movement the lug 51 upon the toggle link 17 engages the lug 50 upon the lever 42 lifting the same and sliding the carbon 43 up wardly upon carbon 7 to make a good wiping contact until the limit of movement is reached, as indicated in Fig.1. In such lever 42 has shifted so that its elongated pivothole 44 bears at its lower end on the pivot 11. And during this closing movement the spring 40 has also been put under tension.

In case of abnormal current flow, or it manually moved by the handle 37, the armature 32 moves upwardly and engages the tail 31 of the latch actuating member 29 which then causes the screw 30 to strike upon the upper side of the latch 24 to disengage it from roller This unlocks the apparatus so that the spring 40 may .contract to knee or collapse the toggle downwardlyand draw the lever 10, carrying the main contact 9, outwardly from the base to separate the main contact 9 from the main terminals 4 and 5. Shortly after the main contact 9 has separated from the main terminals 4 and 5, the intermediate shunt contact 13 separates from intermediateshunt contact 8. Even after these contacts have separated the carbons 43 and 7 remain in engagement with each other. But since the toggle 16, 17 has been kneed or collapsed the lug 51 is removed from engagement. with lug 50 and the arm 42 is free to drop on the pivot 11. And as the main contact continues its movement away from the base the spring 48 contracts until the lever 42 is caught up in the outward movement and then the carbon 43 finally separates from the carbon 7 where the final arc occurs, as well understood in this art. The opening movement continues rapidly until the osition shown in Fig, 2 1s reached, at w ich position the circuit is safely opened and all arcing has discontinued.

\Vhile I have shown my invention as applied to an overload circuit breaker, it is to be understood that it is applicable to the art of switches in general, and that itmay be applied to circuit breakers which are tripped upon any predetermined electrical condition other than overload.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In an electric switch, the combination with main fixed and movable contacts, of shunt fixed andmovable contacts, a pivotal support for the main movable contact member, a loose pivotal support for the movable shunt contact, an operating member for operaling the main movable contact member, means on the movable shunt contact member engaged by said operating member 'for shifting said movable shunt contact to wipe said shunt contacts upon each other.

2. In an electric switch, a pivoted arm carrying the main movable contact, a loosely pivoted arm carrying' 'a shunt contact, an operating member for operating said main movable contact, and means on said operating member for shifting said shunt contact arm upon its pivot.

In an electric switch, the combination with a laminated contact member, of a pivoted arm supporting the same, a movable shunt contact, a loosely pivoted arm supporting the same, a toggle for operating said laminated contact member, a lug on said shunt contact arm, and-a lug on a link of said toggle adapted to engage said first mentioned lug to shift said shunt contact arm.

4:. In an electric switch, movable main and shunt contacts, a pivoted arm support ing a main contact, an arm carrying a shunt contact loosely pivoted concentrically with but independently of said main contact arm, a switch operating member, and means upon said switch operating member for engaging said shunt carrying arm approximate the end of the circuit closing movement for shifting said. shunt carrying arm.

' 5. In an electric switch, movable main and shunt contacts, a pivoted arm supporting a main contact, an arm carrying a shunt contact loosely pivoted independently of said main contact'arm, a switch operating member, and means on said switch operating member for engaging said shunt carrying arm approximate the end of the circuit closing movement for shifting said shunt carrying arm.

6. In an electric, switch, movable main and shunt contacts, a pivoted arm supporting a main contact, an arm carrying a shunt contact loosely pivoted independently of said main contact arm, a lug on said shunt carrying arm, a switch operating member, and a lug on saidoperating member adapted to engage said lug on said shunt carrying arm for shifting the same.

7 In an electric switch, movable main and shunt contacts, a pivoted arm supporting a main contact, an arm carrying ashunt contact loosely pivoted independently of said main contact arm, a resilient connection between 'said main contact arm and said shunt contact arm, a switch operating member, and means controlled by said switch operating member for shifting said shunt contact arm.

8. In an electric switch, a pivoted arm carrying a main movable contact, an arm having a slot carrying a shunt contact, a-

upon its pivot, whe reby said movable and I stationary contacts wipe upon each-other.

10. In an electric switch, movable main and shunt contacts, a member for operating a main contact, a pivoted arm supporting a shunt contact, said pivoted arm being capable of a movement of translation, and means on said operating member for engaging said arm approximate the end of the circuit closing movement for giving to said arm said motion of translation.

11. In an electric switch, the combination with a main movable contact member, of a toggle for operating the same, a movable shunt contact, a loosely pivoted arm supporting the same, a lug-on said arm, and a lug on a link ofsaid toggle adapted to engage said first mentioned lug approximate the end of the circuit closing movement to shift said arm.

12. In an electric switch, a main movable contact, an operating member therefor, a movable shunt contact, a supporting member therefor, satd supporting member being capable of a movement of translation, and means on said operating member for engaging said supporting member approximate the end of the circuit closing movement for giving to said supporting member said motion of translation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM M. SCOTT.

\Vitn esses ELEANOR T. McCALL, ANNA E. Srnmnoon. 

